How To Care For Your
Bonsai - Watering
By Paul
March
Don't you water a bonsai
like any other plant? The answer is absolutely not. Bonsai
are very particular and specific and how to treat them will
depends on lots of factors including enviornment and
climate.
There are lots of different species of bonsai that use water
at different rates, they grow at different rates in their
different growing cycles. Deciduous, non-deciduous - all
bonsai are not the same. There are no set cycles with bonsai
and they should be attended to when it is required.
Watering - never let the
compost dry out. That is the quickest way to kill a bonsai.
The trees and plants in the ground adapt to their
environment, your bonsai cannot do that as they are in such
a small scale, that the things you do, or don't do have a
big impact on it. In Japan it is said that it takes 3 years
to master the proper watering of a bonsai.
Under-watering can be much
more harmful for a bonsai than over-watering. Make sure the
compost is not dried out, its very important to take a
careful note of its condition.
The roots of a bonsai need
oxygen to breathe - water comes into contact with the roots
and provides oxygen, it flushes out all the by products and
in exchange gives fresh air and oxygen which nourishes the
plant. If you give too much water the plant will literally
suffocate - the fine root hairs cannot breathe and it dies
through too much oxygen.
Is there a way you can tell
if you have over-watered? Yes if you are re-potting,
over-watering will be shown by the fine roots hairs which
will have turned black and gone rotten.
Some of the signs which may
indicate that you are not watering correctly are - the
smaller branches shrink and die away - foliage turns yellow
- the plant suffers a lack of vigor and looks tired not
healthy.
So what can be done to
remedy this? Cutting away the black roots will help. Rotten
roots foster bacteria that kill the plant, so cutting the
old rotten black roots away will help restore a more
friendly eco system and help the plant to recover. Take care
not to damage the healthy roots as this will impede
recovery. More importantly you will need to change your
watering habits!
How often do you water?
Never on a set routine. Temperature changes and changing
environment mean that you need to adapt to what your bonsai
needs. Bonsai only have a small root system and can dry out
very quickly, you must keep a careful eye on the needs of
each individual plant. Your plant may have damp compost on
top, but below be drying out. Each species bonsai plant will
use water at different rates according to their living
conditions, and must be checked daily.
A good tip is to use a
wooden toothpick and leave it in the compost. The next time
you come to check your plant, by lifting the toothpick you
will see if the compost below the surface has dried out and
this will help you assess how much water to use.
You should always change
your routine to match the requirement of your bonsai as the
correct watering is critical.
About the
Author:
Would you know the best way to look after your bonsai? Read
more great articles by Paul March about techniques to help
improve your bonsai. More articles on
bonsai care and information on
reviving bonsai trees to help you enjoy
your bonsai.
If you're interested in
more bonsai articles, click here -
Bonsai Articles.
Enjoy!
I wish you all the best on your
bonsai adventure!
Best wishes,
Thomas T :)
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